By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Lacombe County begins addressing recycling of agricultural plastics

Mar 1, 2018 | 1:00 PM

Limiting environmental harm is the goal of a newly-approved Lacombe County recycling program.

The service will allow for the recycling of large plastic grain bags, something that has been an ongoing issue for Alberta’s agriculture industry.

According to the County, resolutions were passed between 2012 and 2016 at the Provincial Agricultural Service Board’s conference calling upon the Government of Alberta to develop programs such as this one. Agricultural plastics include bale wrap, grain bags, greenhouse film and pesticide containers, just to name a few. The new Lacombe County program applies only to grain bags for the time being.

Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law says most grain bags currently end up in the landfill or buried, neither of which is good for the environment.

“There really is no place for them to go right now,” she says. “We’ll start small and see where it goes, but we’re not sure how many bags are out there and what the uptake will be on this.”

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Lacombe County, in partnership with Red Deer County and Ponoka County, is hoping to bring in 30 bags once the program is up and running later this year. Once collected, they’ll likely be taken to a facility near Bassano, Law says.

“We’re always going to look at expanding,” she adds. “Right now with the silage wrap and bale wrap, it needs to be clean, and that’s a big issue. The biggest problem with the recycling is how to get that clean.”

The pilot program could last up to three years, but Law says council will review it annually. The program will cost about $27,000, with about $12,000 coming from Lacombe County. It’s not expected to bring in any extra revenue in the short-term, Law says.

The three counties will be communicating with residents when the service becomes available.

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Lacombe County begins addressing recycling of agricultural plastics

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